Listen UP! Episode 2: Hunger Pains

Childhood hunger is no stranger to Des Moines Public Schools. With some government help, the district is doing its best to fight the hunger epidemic that’s permeating through the Midwest.

Hosts: Alicia Kang and Mariah Lewis | Guest: Heather Kilby

The problem of childhood hunger affects the entire world — even cities in the “Breadbasket of the United States.” The Food Bank of Iowa estimates that one in five children in the state don’t have enough to eat. In Des Moines, approximately 75 percent of students in the public school system are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. While that eases the burden for impoverished families, students still go hungry when they leave school. UP’s Heather Kilby and Hunter Phillips investigated how Des Moines Public Schools is handling the problem, and Kilby discussed the issue with Listen UP! hosts Mariah Lewis and Alicia Kang.

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